If the waiting lists for the Toyota Prius are to be believed, the demand is far greater than the rate of supply in Japan.  The waiting period is as high as three months.  There was a brief period in 2009 when the top position of the Prius (at the time in its second generation) was usurped by the launch of the Honda Insight.  The Prius was introduced in 1997 and since the launch of the third generation, it has taken over the first position in the highest sales of its units and it seems like it is here to stay for a long time to come, with its never ending waiting lists.

The Toyota Prius has won the highest award against its rival the Honda Insight at the New York Auto Show, and in Japan, has also been declared the Car of the Year 2010.  The car has a 37 HP electric motor running in the Atkinson cycle and an engine with a 99 HP running at 5,200 rpm with a 105 lb-ft at 4,000 torque.

One of the reasons attributed to its high sales is the tax breaks and the special subsidy given by the Japanese government for cars that are environmentally friendly.  Japanese customers also are leaning towards buying hybrid vehicles over the others, which is helping boost sales of the Toyota Prius.

There were some issues over quality with Toyota in Japan recalling almost 92,000 units of its Crown and Lexus models since October.  Some Prius units too were recalled for issues relating to braking software problems, sticking gas pedals and floor mats that were defective.  In spite of things looking bleak, Toyota is feeling optimistic with the high demand for the Prius and is looking forward to a long stint in the market for hybrid cars.

If you are looking for a new or used Toyota Prius, please get in touch with your requirements.  We feel it would be a great investment not only for yourself but for contributing to pollution free society.

Technorati Tags: Toyota Prius, hybrid car, Honda Insight, Car of the Year 2010

CR-Z — which stands for Compact Renaissance Zero — is a two-seater gasoline-electric hybrid car, which is lively and comfortable and comes with CVT (continuously variable tranmission) as well as manual transmission.  In spite of its low price tag, the Honda CR-Z doesn’t look or feel like a cheap, thrifty car.  The new hybrid from Honda has fuel efficiency of 30 km per liter (34 miles per gallon) of gasoline, compared with the Fit’s 24 km per liter.

The design of Honda’s new hybrid car CR-Z will be based on its gasoline powered compact car Fit, and will share core components of its hybrid model Insight – in order to reduce the development costs.  As a result, the new hybrid car will cost about US$4,400 (400,000 yen) less than Insight hybrid, and about US$2,200 ( 200,000 yen) more than Honda Fit.  With this move the  Honda CR-Z  will cost 20% less than the cheapest hybrid car in the Japanese auto market today.

This price war will put both the car makers – Toyota and Honda – at a disadvantage when profit margins are concerned.  However, when hybrid cars would be available in the normal price range of gasoline powered cars and can offer a performance better than the conventional cars powered by gasoline, hybrids are going to be popular even if the government offers no tax incentives.

Technorati Tags: hybrid cars, hybrid cars in Japan, cheapest hybrid car, Honda CR-Z, Toyota, Honda

The highest award and title of “Grand Prix 09/10” was awarded to the Subaru Legacy after assessment by the JNCAP.  The Subaru Legacy is also the only car which has undergone very strict and stringent testing standards and to have emerged the winner among safe cars in Europe and Australia.  It ranks among the leading vehicles chosen by the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety in the United States to be awarded the distinctive citation of the “Top Safety Pick”.  Several other independent test agencies too have certified the Legacy as one of the safest cars on the global market.

Taking the jury’s top tribute and being honoured with the coveted award, the Legacy is another Subaru vehicle to do so for the third year in success from among 17 other contenders.  The prior winners from the Subaru stable are the Forrester  winning the “Excellence” award in 2008 and the Impreza which was awarded the ‘GRAND PRIX’ in 2007.

In comparison with the smaller Impreza, though the Subaru Legacy is a bigger package, it is both sporty and very capable.  The Subaru Legacy was declared the outstanding winner after taking tests for collision safety performance for driver and co-passenger in the front and the head protection test for pedestrian.

This award follows other accolades and achievements received from other crash tests held internationally.  In the European NCAP (New Car Assessment Programme), the Subaru was rated with top five stars.  In the Australasian NCAP too it was bestowed the same award of five stars for occupant safety.

The Subaru Legacy is considered the safest and most desirable family car today due to its world class boxer engines, extraordinary interior space and sensibility, and the Symmetrical All-Wheel Drive system, which is its permanent trademark.

The Subaru Legacy packs discretion, affordability, and the best in equipment, sleek body and is considered the family’s dream car. It is the safest vehicle to be in and the best buy among mid-size sedans.

The Legacy is kitted with advanced safety equipment like a gamut of standard safety features, offering protection against whiplash injuries with its high-strength front seat frames, side curtain airbags, front seat side impact airbags, dual-stage deployment head curtain airbags in the front and the rear, and torso airbags for the driver and front passenger.  It is also fitted with ESP, rollover sensor, ABS, traction control and Vehicle Dynamics Control.

Technorati Tags: safest car, Subaru Legacy

The two companies are going to combine their synergies into increasing and widening their technological knowhow for new electric vehicles and also to improvise on their methods of manufacturing processes to try and bring in low-polluting vehicles and parts into the market.  Toyota will invest in Tesla stock to the tune of $50 million.

Tesla will have access to the well established Toyota’s immense dealer base and Toyota is expected to get the much needed shot in the arm to compete with rival car manufacturers in the expanding market for environmentally friendly electric vehicles.  In their hybrid Prius, for example, Toyota will be installing lithium-ion batteries made by Tesla, instead of the formerly used hydride units made from nickel.

With the advent of more and more vehicle owners replacing their cars with “green” hybrid vehicles, the local markets for electric cars really seems to be gathering momentum and it is the right time for partnerships like Tesla-Toyota to be getting ready for the high demand it anticipates.

The deal is also expected to help Toyota in selling electric cars in competition with other companies like General Motors Co. and Nissan Motor Co. in the U.S. because regulations are getting more stringent with regard to fuel efficiency and greenhouse gas emissions.

Tesla is based in California and is currently the only vehicle manufacturer in the U.S.  selling battery-powered cars that are legal to be driven on the highway.  In the market of hybrid autos, Toyota too is one of the largest sellers and is headquartered in Toyota City in Japan.  The tie-up is expected to help the United States become independent from using imported energy resources and ushering in the use of electric cars and plug-in hybrids.

Technorati Tags: Tesla, Toyota, electric vehicles, hybrid vehicles, electric cars, Japan

Well, this is not a joke! Japanese companies Yodogawa and Kinki Knives Industries have developed a prototype thee wheeler Electric Vehicle named Meguru, which is more like a three-wheeler auto-rickshaw used in countries like India and Thailand.  This electric auto rickshaw features steel frame painted with red lacquer, and it resembles the red tori gates of shrines in Japan.  The vehicle has bamboo flooring, and its doors are crafted from Japanese washi paper, resemble the folding fan.  At night, the vehicle looks like a lantern as the lights inside glow through the paper doors.  A driver sits in front, and one or two passengers sit in back on a couch.  Kyoto craftsmen helped to give a distinctly Japanese traditional touch to the styling of this vehicle.

Well, this electric vehicle is not meant for driving on highways.  Meguru is designed for use as a taxi.  This vehicle inspired by the traditional jin-rickshaw and Japanese culture is meant to attract customers in popular tourist places like Kyoto, Nara, Nikko and Asakusa which are famous for the traditional Japanese culture.  The electric vehicle can run at a maximum speed of 40 km/hour and a range of 40 km.  It needs just two hours from charging from household power supply.  Thus, it is an eco-friendly and affordable, way to go around the town in style.

The makers of Meguru are serious about selling this electric car made of traditional materials such as bamboo and paper.  Meguru is expected to go on sale in Japan for around $10,000.

In old Japanese cities like Nara and Kyoto, which have old temples and palaces, with old type jin-rickshaws still plying in the streets, the Meguru probably would not look out of place. The  bamboo and paper would give it an air of old-style craftsmanship, and environment lovers would definitely love its zero-emission ride.

I liked the idea of using traditional indigenous materials like bamboo, lacquer and washi paper in vehicles.  Though it may not be the safest idea to use bamboo in vehicle body, Meguru’s bamboo floor is both tough and elegant.  Next time, you visit Osaka for Japanese used car auction, just remind me to have a pleasure ride in Meguru taxi.

For more pictures and videos of Meguru electric car, check the news at Japan Trends.

Technorati Tags: Japan, Electric Vehicle, Meguru, Japanese, Kyoto

Potential car buyers have questions regarding the best family cars to buy from the automotive retail outlet.  Would it accommodate all the members of a family?  What is the luggage capacity if going on a vacation?  Is it fuel efficient? Here are two of the leading family vehicles of model year 2010. Among the leading choices for family vehicles from Japanese car makers,  Toyota Sienna and Mazda CX-9 are considered the best buy for the year 2010.

2010 Toyota Sienna

The Toyota Sienna minivan is here to stay and in spite of the downsizing happening around the world, Toyota stands by manufacturing new vehicles.

The 2010 Toyota Sienna sports an elegant exterior and is a pride to drive around.  It comes with a choice of two engines – a 3.5L V-6 engine which is fuel-efficient and produces 266 hp with a towing capacity of 3,500 lb., and a 2.7L 4-cylinder engine that generates 187 hp. Both are fitted with 6-speed smooth-shifting automatic transmission.

Toyota offers the new Sienna with interior options like reclining captain’s chairs in the second row, increased seating to hold seven to eight passengers, a center console that slides, leather upholstery, storage bins and cup holders, and a 10-speaker Bose audio system.  The seats can be adjusted to almost any configuration or height conceivable.  The new Sienna can take even pack plenty of luggage for a two-week vacation easily.

An eight-passenger Sport Edition V-6 model is also available aerodynamic sculpted, regular 19-inch wheels and side skirts effecting low-ground visuals.  This could perhaps be considered the perfect family vehicle.

2011 Mazda CX-9

This Japanese brand from Mazda is being produced in line with the RX-8 coupe and the MX-5 Miata roadster and is a five-door people-hauling wagon in the class of crossovers.

This CX-9 is a CUV having agile rack-and-pinion system of power-driven steering attributes.  It has a traction control system, and four-wheel disc brakes electronic brake force distribution, an electronic connection to an antilock brake system, dynamic stability control to make up for lateral skidding and a system to control traction.

Empowered by a V-6 engine transferring 3.7 liters, the CX-9 has a ratio of 10.3:1 for high compression.  The V-6 has an output of 273 hp at 6,250 rpm with the torque that can escalate up to 270 lb-ft at 4,250 rpm.

The cabin of the CX-9 is laid out in three rows of seats and a cargo hold in the aft bay.  The first row consists of two bucket seats that are bolstered and a floor console.  Three passengers can be accommodated in the second row in the bench-style seat with lounge backrests and five inches of front and back sliding space.  The third row is styled in a split bench to accommodate adults also. The wagon’s cargo space can be increased by folding the second and third-row benches flat.

To summarize, Toyota Sienna is an ideal choice for large families on a budget.  The CX-9 crossover that has sporty handing and sleek styling is a dutiful family-mover too.

Technorati Tags: best family cars, Japanese car, Toyota Sienna, Mazda CX-9

The legions of Japanese mini trucks that are being embraced by the businessmen and trade people include the Daihatsu Hi-Jet, Subaru Sambar, Honda Acty, Mazda Scrum and Suzuki Carry.  These mini trucks are now fast becoming common place in Victoria.

These mini trucks find their origin in Japan in the year 1964.  They are also called Kei Trucks. The term ‘Kei’ implies that the vehicle is a Kei class vehicle of Japan.  This means it is of the sub compact class.  The vehicles of this class have an engine displacement which is limited to 660cc.

The micro trucks are diminutive in size and this makes them ideal for movement around town and it also allows them to be economical at the same time. These trucks can easily be navigated through narrow country roads, small city streets and even through rice fields. The micro  trucks have three or four small cylinder engines.

These trucks can be used for a variety of things like off-road hunting or as farm utility vehicles.  They can be used as maintenance vehicles for large factories, schools, golf courses, university campuses, shipping yards, ranches, warehouse facilities, dairies, theme parks, horse stables, airports, landscaping companies, orchards, campgrounds, local municipalities, movie sets, movie sets, security companies  etc.  The possibilities are really endless.

In Japan, you can see these vehicles almost everywhere including remote villages and in the mountains.  Japanese trucks which are old are put up for sale because of inspection costs and taxes which are levied on old vehicles in Japan.  Many of these vehicles might have had very low mileage.

One of the bigger advantages of having a Kei truck is that it ownership cost is very low. Although, earlier they were in demand in only right hand driving countries like Asia and Australia, but now even Canadians are embracing them.

Technorati Tags: Japanese mini trucks, mini trucks, Japan, Kei Trucks

The aim of this council is to standardize technology which is being used to charge electric cars across the entire motor industry.  The firms are hoping that places across the whole of Japan will offer charging station after the creation of this technology.  They want to make the technology compatible with all electric vehicles.

158 companies and organizations including the above mentioned five companies areall  set to join this association.  This consortium includes many overseas businesses.  Campaigns have already started in USA to make the Japanese recharging technology a global standard.  There is a lack in competing standards.

A home plug recharges the electric vehicles as well but the main point of difference between this and the power station is that the station delivers fifty kilo watts at 150-200 amps so your car gets recharged in a few minutes and not hours.

The availability of  power stations encourages owners to take their car further although they might not have  charged it and encourages use of electric vehicles.  Right now the electric cars cannot travel more than two hundred kilometers on a single charging.  A brand agnostic station for charging is critical for the future success of these cars. The technology is currently already  in use by Subaru and Mitsubishi, and Nissan is likely to follow them.

The Japanese automobile industry had always led the way for the hybrid and electric car sector.  The Toyota Prius is the most popular hybrid in the world and is Japans top selling vehicle.  The government of Japan is supporting this EV standardization venture of CHAdeMO with 13.7 million dollars.